Testing Garage Door Sensors

Test the sensors ensure that the door is open and activate the opener.

Testing garage door sensors.

Take a clean cloth and very gently wipe them in case they have accumulated dust or residue of some sort. A lack of power supply is one of the most common causes of a malfunctioning garage door sensor. It s very easy to bypass garage door sensors just follow these simple steps. Place the box in the garage doorway making sure the box is in front of the garage door sensors.

Look for small led lights on the sensors. If the garage door closes it indicates that the sensors are not functioning. Modern day garage door safety sensors are usually led and if the sensors are aligned correctly with the two beams connecting they should light up green. Connect the red probe to the wire going to the sensor and connect the black probe to the ground wire going to the sensor.

If any object blocks the path of the infrared sensors the garage door opener will not activate or will reverse if operating. Sometimes the sensor may be beyond repair due to wear and tear and in such a case your best bet is to replace the garage door sensor with a new one. Garage doors may display a variety of symptoms if sensors need attention. The garage door is one of the most prominent parts of our house and they deserve equal care.

Here s a quick way to test the receiving eye to see if there is a problem. If the lights are turned on for both sensors then you can rule out a problem with the power supply. Press the button that closes the garage door on the garage wall or on your remote. The latest garage door sensors are technologically advanced and even allow you to control the opening and closing through an app on your smartphone.

Do not handle them more than necessary or you might well put them out of alignment. If the lights are off in one or both sensors however it points to an issue with the power supply. Whenever there is an obstruction the garage door will automatically reverse before causing any damage. If something goes wrong with the sending eye the receiving eye will shut off also.

The second line of defense is a set of infrared sensors which should be mounted 4 to 6 above the floor on each side of the garage door frame. And if you are planning to upgrade to a new garage door or sensors make sure to check out a few available options in the market.